Invoke Your Inner Craftsman: DIY Winter Wreaths

Deck those Halls

Ever look at holiday decorations while shopping and think, "I
could make that"? Well, you can. Here's how to design a holiday
wreath made with winter foliage you can easily find in your backyard.

Note: the base of the wreath is made out of moss. Think you don’t
have any? Check your backyard. Dig up a square of moss by using a
knife or a spade to lift the earth up. It's wet this time of year, so
lay your moss sections on paper towel to dry near a heater (make sure
you dry your moss so that it separates from the mud and becomes
pliable enough to work with). Tear it into small pieces to start
gluing on to the wreath. If you don't have moss, green felt from a
craft shop will work too and will still be soft enough to pin your
foliage into.

Materials

Bare straw wreath (purchase in most craft shops)

Cotton rounds

Dried moss (see instructions above)

Dried acorns, leaves (dry ahead of time), holly and pine branches

Ribbon

Glue

Scissors

Pins

Paperclips

Snow spray

Glitter or glitter paint

1.This is a simple but messy craft, so make sure you have a
suitable area to work on and lay out everything you need.

2. Glue cotton rounds all around the front of the bare straw wreath.
This will give you a soft surface to pin your foliage decorations into later.

3. Take the dried moss (or green felt) and glue these sections all
around the wreath until its surface is entirely covered with moss. You
should now have a grassy green wreath that is ready to start decorating.

4. Glue one end of the ribbon onto the wreath.

5. Wind the ribbon all around the wreath, leaving gaps, and glue the
end in place when you have finished.

6. A great way to attach the branches and holly that you have
collected to your wreath is by halving paperclips. This gives you a
rounded hook that can hold the branches in place.

7. Start to pin in the branches on your wreath using the halved paperclips.

8. Continue adding branches, twigs and holly until you’re happy with
the design.

9. Use a piece of paper to protect the table you are working on. Take
a dried leaf and paint it to make it look more festive, as this is
going to form the centerpiece of the wreath. Tip: Use clear glitter
paint so that you can still see the natural leaf tones underneath.

10. Set aside and then add fake snow to acorns. Using a snow spray,
lightly spray the white powder over the acorns and leave to dry for a
few minutes.

11. Using sewing pins, pin the snow-sprayed acorns onto your wreath.

12. Glue your painted leaf onto the bottom center of the wreath.

13. Finally, take another piece of the ribbon and tie a bow. Glue on
top of the leaf for a finishing touch.

And done. Hang on your front door or living room for some holiday
cheer that you can show off.